


Legends of...

by Sirius04L



Series: The Chronicles of The Flash and Arrow [5]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Crossover, Episode: s02e08 Legends of Today, Episode: s04e08 Legends of Yesterday, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sirius04L/pseuds/Sirius04L
Summary: Barry goes to Oliver for help when Cisco's girlfriend is in danger from a magical madman - a retelling of Flash season two/Arrow season four crossover told with a Barry/Oliver relationship.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen
Series: The Chronicles of The Flash and Arrow [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1763857
Comments: 6
Kudos: 71





	1. Today

**Author's Note:**

> Holy fudge monkeys...Its been a while, but its done.

Barry slowed down and stepped off his treadmill once Harrison’s voice came over the speaker. He didn’t feel like anything had changed and that thought continued to weigh heavily on his mind. “I’m not getting faster, am I?” He asked as he walked into the adjoining room.

“Well - “

“No, you’re not,” Harrison interrupted Caitlin.

“All right. Well, let’s fix this. I can’t beat Zoom at this speed; I felt like I was standing still next to him.”

“That’s cause you practically were. Zoom’s at least three, four times faster than you at this point.” Barry looked down at the ground. Sometimes he really wished Harrison would learn how to sugar coat things.

“How is he so much faster than Barry is and Jay was?” 

“Physiology, form, strength, could be a number of things. Attitude, diet - “

Barry rolled his eyes and looked over at the pair of them. “Okay, right, well there’s got to be something that we can do about it. So let’s just...figure it out. Fast, okay?” He looked down at his phone as it buzzed in his pocket. “All right, I gotta go, I’m meeting a friend. I’ll see you, thank you,” He tacked on as he walked out. Barry ignored the questioning look that Caitlin sent his way. 

Once he was outside the building he sped up the side of it and looked at Oliver who was sitting on the edge. “You really need to teach me how you avoid all the cameras.”

Oliver smiled and hopped up. He made his way over to Barry and hugged him. “Stealth. And I may have a tech genius who gets a thrill out of helping us sneak around like this.”

Barry chuckled and leaned into Oliver. Things were better than they had been. The pair had met up a few times to talk and sort things out. It was far from perfect and they still had things to hash out. He knew there was a lot that Oliver still wasn’t telling him, but they would get there. 

“I’ve missed you,” Oliver whispered against his hair. 

He couldn’t help but smile. “You just saw me last weekend.”

“Thank god you’re fast. Or this while 600 mile apart thing would suck more than it already does.”

Out of all the problems they’d had so far, the distance was the one thing that didn’t bother them. Sure, the superspeed helped, and maybe if Barry didn’t have that it would be different. But neither could or wanted to leave their city. Not while they could help their homes the way they did. 

Oliver pulled back and the pair sat down, letting their legs dangle off of the roof. “How’d your training go today?”

Barry held Oliver’s hand and looked out at the Central City skyline. “I’ve been running a lot lately, trying to go faster than I’ve ever gone before because there’s someone out there who’s better, faster, and stronger than I am. And I need to be ready. But, no matter how much I try or how hard I push myself I keep running into the same problem.” 

“You’re not going to get faster overnight. You are absolutely amazing Barry, but skills don’t just happen in a snap of your fingers. It took me years to get where I am and I’m still learning new things. You’ll get there. You’ll get this guy and whatever help you need, you know that I’ll be there.”

“I know, Ollie,” Barry said softly and rested his head on Oliver’s shoulder. He knew that Oliver wanted to say more, but he appreciated that the archer was letting him have a moment to think. 

Oliver kissed his head and stroked Barry’s hand with his thumb. “So, hoping that no emergencies come up, I was thinking we could grab dinner tonight.”

Barry turned to look at him when his phone rang. “Hold that thought.” He smiled when Oilver chuckled. Barry checked his phone and saw Joe calling. He excused himself and got up, stepping a couple feet away. “Yeah, Joe?”

“Got something for you to take a look at.”

“Right now?”

“Yeah, crime scene at the marina.”

Barry looked over at Oliver and gave him a half smile. Oliver nodded in understanding and stood up. “I’ll be right there. Just let me say goodbye to Ollie.”

“Oh, he’s in town,” Joe said and Barry could hear the disdain in his voice. Barry might be on his way to completely forgiving Oliver for the lies and deceit of the last few months, but Joe wasn’t as easy on the man. 

“Joe - “

“Yeah, I know. See you soon.”

Barry slipped his phone back into his pocket as Oliver walked over to him. “Day job or other?”

“Day job.”

Oliver nodded and as he looked Barry’s face over Barry just smiled and shook his head before kissing him. “Just making sure we’re on the same page.”

“I don’t want you to not kiss me. We just...we;re getting back to normal. And I need to trust that you aren’t going to just leave me behind again if you think something’s your problem only. The calling goes both ways, you know.”

“I’m working on it.”

“Good, keep working on it. I’ll let you know if I’ll be able to make it to dinner,” Barry said after he pecked Oliver’s lips and started backing away.

“Hey Bar?”

Barry turned and faced him just before he headed down the side of the building. “Yeah, Ollie?”

“Love you.”

He could feel how big his smile was at Oliver’s words. “Love you too.” And the grin that appeared on Oliver’s face could have lit up a city block. Barry loved that he was the one that was able to make the ever-brooding man smile like that. He waved and took off to the marina. 

~*~*~

Barry stood just behind Joe and Patti as they looked over the crime scene photos. “Man, this was a bloodbath.”

“Done by one person.”

“One person did all this?” Patti asked.

Barry nodded and took a step forward. “Oh yeah, you can see from the blood pattern. This guy was shot first, then the police chief. Then these three were stabbed before finishing off the captain.”

“Wow. Do you think a metahuman did it?”

He shrugged and picked up one of the evidence bags. “I don’t know, but I found this in all of the victims’ stab wounds. Some type of cryptocrystalline, flint most likely. Probably broke off the blade during the fight. I’ll run it to make sure.”

“Let’s see what stores sell those kinds of flint knives.”

“Will do,” Patti told Joe and set the picture she had in her hand down. “And ah, I’ll call you later.” She told Barry.

“Okay,” He said and watched her walk away. 

Joe watched the pair of them .”She’d be good for you.”

Barry groaned and leaned on the table. “Not again, Joe.”

“What, all I said is that she’d be good for you. She has a normal job, she’s cute, she lives on the city...she won’t run off to lead a cult of assassins - “

“Oliver was just doing what he thought needed to be done. And he did save Star City from being destroyed...again.”

“I just don’t like seeing you hurt, Bar.” Joe sighed.

Barry smiled at his foster father and nodded. “I know that. And I don’t want you to ever stop looking out for me. But I love him, Joe. And I owe it to myself to give it a chance. To see if it could really work between us. I know it's not perfect and I doubt it ever will be. He’s stubborn - “

“Pot meet kettle,” Joe muttered.

Barry continued on like he hadn’t heard him. “But you’re not supposed to just give up when things get hard.”

Joe smiled but shook his head as he walked out. “Sometimes I hate it when kids listen.”

Barry laughed and started to get to work so he could make dinner with Oliver that night. .When another detective brought in some more evidence on another case Barry admitted defeat and text Oliver to let him know that he wouldn’t be able to get away. He was about to reply to Oliver’s query about pizza when Cisco’s distress alert flashed on his screen. Without a second thought he took off after quickly changing into his suit. 

He ran into Jitters and knocked the man across the room. “You are done here, pal.”

“So is he!” The man threw a knife towards Cisco and Barry ran after it, catching it right before the blade pierced his friend’s chest. As he held the knife in his hand all three looked over and the man was gone.

“Oh, thank god, Barry,” Cisco said, gripping his shoulder. 

“Dude, come on.” Barry looked over his shoulder at Kendra. 

Cisco winced and turned back to his date. “My bad.”

~*~*~

“I can’t believe you’re the Flash. And that you work with the Flash.”

Cisco looked guilty and shrugged. “Yeah, let’s keep that on the D.L.”

“This is the same knife that was used to kill the men at the docks. The residue is a perfect match,” Barry said, getting the topic off of who he was and that Cisco had let his identity slip.

“So it is the same guy,” Joe confirmed. 

“Definitely, but the thing is these blades are old. Centuries old.”

Iris stepped up, speaking to Kendra. “Do you have any idea why this guy would be after you?”

“No, I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

“Well he was certainly acting like he knew you,” Cisco said before looking at the others. “He kept calling her Priestess Chay-Ara.”

“That’s Coptic.” Harrison pointed out, his arms still planted over his chest.

“You mean Egyptian,” Caitlin said.

“That’s right.”

“Well, I grew up in Wisconsin and I’ve never even left the states, so -”

“This guy, he’s clearly incredibly dangerous so I need you to let us at least try to protect you.” Barry looked at her, wanting to get the conversation back on track.

“I can put a detail on her,” Joe offered. 

“You didn’t see this guy, Joe.” Cisco shook his head looking between him and Barry. “No offense but I don’t think a cop is going to be able to protect her.”

“No...but we do have a few friends who could lend a hand. But we’re going to need to leave Central City.”

“And go where?” Kendra asked. 

Joe ran his hand over his face. “Barry -”

Barry shook his head. “You know it's the best option, Joe. I’ll make a call,” he said, walking out.

“You really want to go to Star City?” Cisco asked, jogging after him. “Come on, we don’t need Team Arrow’s help.”

“Yeah, I think we do, man.”

“Man, you fought metahumans with abilities a lot worse than knife throwing.”

“I don’t think this guy’s a metahuman. There’s something different about him. Something mystical.”

Cisco folded his arms over his chest and looked skeptical. “Mystical, really?”

“We stop metahumans because we’re scientists. We can figure out what their weaknesses are. But we don’t have any experience when it comes to guys like this. With magic, but they do. “

“Right. This wouldn’t have anything to do with Zoom, would it?”

Barry scoffed and shook his head. “No.I’m just trying to keep Kendra safe. This is the best way to do that.”

“Right, okay, I’m with you. But, how do we know Oliver and them even have time to help us?”

“How busy could they be?” He said, shrugging. Especially since he and Oliver we’re supposed to have dinner earlier that night. 

~*~*~

Oliver stood on top of the truck once he fired his arrow. “You brought arrows to a gunfight?”

“What guns?” He pressed a button on his quiver and the guns flew out of the mens’ hands and to his arrow.

“That was actually pretty clever. Kill them, Darhk said and walked away. Oliver jumped off the truck with Thea and Diggle. 

“‘Felicity, the magnetic arrow gag will never.’ Yes, it will, oh fearless leader because I am really smart. And guess what, Oliver, it did work.” 

“Felicity,” He sighed as he punched one of Darhk’s men. “It’s a little hard to fight with you doing that in my ear.”

“Oh, I totally forgot this was an open line. Keep doing what you’re doing. Make smart decisions.”

Oliver rolled his eyes and fought, managing to keep an eye on Thea and Diggle in case they needed help. He turned once the last of the men was down and ran right into Darhk. He choked out a noise as he felt the strength leave his body, all his limbs tensing up.

“Oh, you know, I got to be honest. I really thought we’d be doing this dance a lot longer. Night-night.”

Oliver felt himself falling forward as his legs gave out. Next thing he knew he felt his strength returning as he was outside the building. He looked at Barry as John got sick a couple feet away. “Everytime!”

“It’s the Flash?” Thea asked looking from Oliver to Barry. “Did I know we knew the Flash? We know the Flash. Okay. I didn’t know we knew the Flash.”

Oliver gave her a smile and looked at Barry. “Thank you, but I don’t think you ran all the way here to protect us.”

“I would, you know that, but no. I need to protect a friend.” He shook his slightly at Oliver’s worry.

Oliver sighed and nodded. “Fine, lets get back then.”

Barry smiled. “Want a lift?”

“No,” Oliver and Diggle said at the same time but Thea nodded. 

“Great, we’ll race you, Ollie,” He said and picked her up, taking off.

Once there he set Thea down as they waited for the other two to catch up. After Thea caught her breath she looked at Barry. “You called him Ollie.”

Barry looked over, flipping his mask down. “Yeah...oh, right. Ah, you should ask him about it.” He was saved from more questions when Oliver and Diggle walked up.

“Are you okay? What did he do to you?” Barry asked checking him over now that they had a couple of private moments.

“I don’t know, but I’m fine, Bar. You got me out of there,” Oliver said and walked to the entrance. Barry from but he followed them into the elevator and stepped out. “Wow, nice new digs.”

Oliver nodded with pride and smiled. 

“Also, I just noticed, no sleeves,” Barry mentioned as he looked Oliver’s arms over. “Don’t you get...cold?”

“I spent the better part of five years on an island in the North China Sea, I don’t get cold, Barry.” Oliver smirked and nudged him as he walked past him to put his gear away.

“Barry! So good to see you.” Felicity said hugging him.

Barry squeezed her gently. “Felicity. Good to see you, Felicity.” He smiled at Oliver who was watching them. 

“How come you didn’t tell me Zoom broke your back?” She said hitting him in the chest.

“I - “

She hugged him again. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Barry looked at Oliver for help. “No help from me, you and I are having that conversation later. I heard it from Felicity.”

“He has no room to lecture you.”

Both Barry and Oliver opened their mouths to retort when Kendra and Cisco walked in. 

“Okay, S.T.A.R. Labs is impressive but is - “

“This is completely wrong. Did you guys even look at the specs I sent over? This is a tragedy. I’m mourning the death of engineering,” Cisco lamented and Barry just watched the looks that Felicity was giving him. “Copper wiring to handle the processing speed of the Palmer satellite or else your system is going to overload.”

“Yeah, but that hasn’t happened, I mean it hasn’t happened since last week. I mean it didn’t...it happened yesterday.” Felicity babbled out. Barry chuckled and smiled at Oliver. Kendra walked off the platform and over to Felicity. “Hi, I’m Felicity.”

“Kendra Saunders. I’m Cisco’s…”

“She’s ah, my ah new...beautiful friend. Who kisses me. Occasionally.”

“That’s nice.” Oliver laughed. 

Thea smirked. “Right, I’m Thea, this is John Diggle, and my brother - “ She said introducing them.

“Oliver Queen,” Kendra said and shook his hand.

“Hi.”

“Okay, first I meet the Flash and now the Green Arrow. Do you have any other surprises for me?”

Cisco laughed, “Please, no more surprises.”

Oliver stood next to Barry so that they’d brush if either of them moved. He looked at Kendra and gave her a reassuring smile. “Barry said that you need our help. That someone very dangerous is after you.”

“Yeah, and I have no idea why.”

What does this guy even look like?” Thea asked.

“Hold on,” Barry said and walked away, letting his hand brush Oliver’s as he did .He quickly sketched out the man’s face and let Felicity take it so she could try and find a match through any of the databases that she had access to. 

Kendra looked over when a match came up. “Yeah, that’s him.”

“Strange, because this picture is from 1975.”

“Which would make him about 80 years old right now,” Barry said, frowning. 

“Okay, what else can you tell us?” Oliver asked, looking at her. 

“He’d said we’d known each other for ages but I’ve never met the man before.”

“Well, there has to be some kind of connection.”

She shook her head. “Not one I can think of. I just moved to Central City six months ago.”

“Why’d you move there?”

“I just...felt drawn to the city I guess.”

Barry watched as Oliver questioned, noticing how tense he was getting and how uncomfortable Kendra was getting. “Kendra, there is a reason this guy is after you. Think.”

“Look man,” Cisco said stepping forward, “We just came here to hide out for a bit until we get things figured out so you can just take it down a notch.”

Oliver shook his head, his hands resting his his waist. Barry leaned against the counsel, watching him, swallowing gently. Felicity smirked and knocked him with her elbow. 

“You came here because you needed our help. This is what my help looks like.”

“Oliver, I just saved you guys from whatever the hell flock of seagulls was about to do. The least you can do - “

“Barry, none of us have super powers. You brought Kendra into our world without knowing who she is or what this dude that is after her is looking for. You made all of us unsafe, so maybe you ask the questions.”

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Felicity said grabbing Olver’s arm. “We’re all friends here, right?”

“Mmhm,” Oliver hummed out, trying to calm himself down. Barry watched him quietly, his arms folded across his chest protectively. 

“Why don’t we go back to your place and have some drinks and we can talk?” Felicity suggested smiling. 

Barry shrugged. “Cool.” He said and walked out.

Felicity elbowed Oliver and nodded towards Barry. “Fine,” he muttered and went after him. “Barry, wait up.”

“I’ll see you at your place,” Barry called back and took off.

Oliver sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “You have no tact, man.” DIggle said walking over. 

“I’ll apologize, make it right.”

Diggle clapped him on the shoulder. “There’s only so many times you can apologize before they get tired of hearing it.”

~*~*~

Barry sipped his soda and watched Cisco and Thea go back and forth, not quite ready to talk to Oliver yet. Oliver seemed to get the hint and stepped away for a few moments and Barry walked closer to Felicity. “It's insane how much life can change in six months huh?”

“Which you would know better than anyone. Considering there’s another Flash, another Doctor Wells from another Earth. I mean…”

“Yeah, it's been a little trippy lately.”

“I wonder what Oliver’s doppelganger would look like? Bald, pot bellied...agreeable?”

Barry laughed and nodded. “Maybe but if he was different he wouldn’t be Ollie, would he? Sometimes...I mean things were good, you know? We’ve been talking and trying to figure stuff out and then something like today happens. Maybe he doesn’t trust me like he says he does.”

“I can’t tell you why he suddenly got so...defensive earlier. But he does trust you Barry. I think you’re the one person he trusts the most. He doesn’t even trust himself as much as he trusts you.” She smiled when a timer went off. “Oh, my pigs in a blanket!” She said and walked off.

Barry watched her go before walking over so he was next to the fireplace. He could feel Oliver’s presence before the man even made a sound. “Ollie, I’m sorry that I ah, laid all of this on you. I know that it wasn’t fair.”

“That’s okay. I’m sorry if earlier I was a little - “

“Snippy?”

“I have been called worse. No, but I’m glad that you’re here. I’m glad that you reached out. Shows a real maturity. And I would know that because I’ve never been that mature.”

Barry laughed and smiled softly at him. 

“I’m always here for you.”

“Thank you,” Barry said softly. “And about earlier - “

Oliver sipped his drink. “It wasn’t that you brought her in, I told you that it was okay to have her and Cisco come down. I just don’t like it when I can’t figure out how to solve the problem. I don’t want what happened last time to happen again. Thea got hurt, was basically dead. And what if this time, something happens to you because I don’t get this figured out?”

Barry looked over and saw that Cisco and Kendra still had their backs to him. He gripped Oliver’s hand. “We are going to figure this out. I reached out for help, not to put this entirely on your shoulders. So, we will figure it out and we will look after each other.” He let go when Cisco called his name and gave Oliver a smile before walking away.

Oliver stood there for a moment and watched them all talk, Felicity joining them when she had finished putting the snacks out. He walked over and stood in front of the couches. “I would like to propose a toast. I wish it wasn’t just the dark times bringing us together - “

He tried to keep the smile off his face as Barry rushed over, taking his glass from him. “But it is friends like you that make those dark times worth having.” Barry finished and handed Oliver back his drink. 

“What a guy...steals my drink, steals my words,” Barry and the others laughed, watching him, “As I was saying, it’s good to see everyone. Cheers.”

The others echoed the toast and ancked. Eventually Barry watched as Cisco walked away and watched as the girls talked on the couch. He followed him over. “Look, don’t worry, we’re going to keep her safe. I promise.”

“Yeah, I know,” He said, not taking his eyes off of her. “Look, there’s something I never told you. The first time I kissed Kendra I got a vibe.” Barry started to smile and Cisco shook his head. “No, not like that kind of vibe. Like I Vibe vibed.”

“Oh.”

“Remember the man with wings? It wasn’t a man, It was Kendra. She was like a bird.”

Barry looked over at Kendra. “You think she’s a metahuman? Why didn’t you say anything about this sooner?”

“I didn’t think it was related but now...I guess it has to be.”

He gave him a skeptical look but before Barry could say something Cisco started talking again.

“Look, I don’t want her to know about my powers. I have this great thing going with her and...she laughs at my jokes. Love movies. I have a really great thing going with her and I don’t want to sabotage it.” He nodded. 

Kendra yelled and everyone looked over in time to see the man bust through the window. “I will always find you Chay-Ara.”

Barry ran and grabbed Oliver’s quiver and bow, putting it on him and the bow into his hands before moving to block Cisco and Kendra.

“Don’t move,” Oliver warned, Arrow pointed at his chest.

“Then how will I kill you all?” He threw five knives towards them as Oliver released the arrow. Barry ran, grabbing the knives before they could hiit any of his friends or Oliver. He grabbed the knife that was heading for Thea when he felt a sharp pain in his back that made him fall down. Barry heard another arrow being released above him.

He pulled the knife out of his back as Oliver fought him and the next time Barry managed to catch the knife that was thrown at his chest as he and Oliver got up, From the side Thea came out, her arrow striking Savage in the shoulder and one of Olivers became embedded on the other side. Before Oliver could stop her Thea fired another arrow that sent the man over the balcony railing.

“What did you do?” Oliver asked her.

“I ended it,” she said simply.

Oliver shook his head and walked out and Barry joined him as they looked down to the street. “Where...where did he go?” Barry asked. The pair stood there a few moments. “Oh boy.” They said together. 

~*~*~

“The man you’re looking for his Vandal Savage,” Merlyn said. 

Diggle put his gun away. “Vandal Savage, never heard of him.”

“Who is he?” Barry asked. 

“Some say he was the most trusted advisor to Ghengis Khan, others say he guided Julius Caesar through the Gallic Wars, but one thing the League knows for sure he was there for all of it.”

Cisco frowned. “So what are you saying? He’s like a vampire or something?”

“Not a vampire, an immortal.”

Kendra took a few steps back. “Okay, we’ve officially stepped into crazy town. Immortality?”

“No, wait. This makes perfect sense,” Thea started. “This explains why he looks the same as he did in 1975.”

“This can’t be possible.” Kendra shook her head.

“There’s nothing you can do to save her now.”

Barry frowned. Kendra, do not listen to him.” She looked at all of them and muttered something about needing air before walking out, Cisco following her. Barry walked over to Merlyn. “We are going to do whatever we can to keep Kendra safe, whether you think we can or not.”

~*~*~

“I got them, 57th Street Tower,” Felicity said into his ear. 

“I’m right near there,” Oliver replied and made a quick left on his bike. He sped there, firing arrows as he rode towards him. He grunted as something collided with his bike and he flipped. He ignored the chorus of ‘Oliver’s in his ear and got up. “Give me the girl.”

“Not going to happen ,Robin Hood.”

“You’re making a big mistake.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

Oliver ran to meet the winged man and was pushed back a few inches when his bow was thrown from his hand. He collected himself and put everything he had into the fight, grunting when he was knocked onto his back. He stood and looked up as he watched the man catch Barry and fly him into the air. 

As he dropped Barry, Oliver let an arrow fly, the cord taught so Barry could slide down to him without getting hurt.

“We need to expose his wings,” Oliver said once Barry was by his side. 

“I’m open to suggestions.”

“What, now you’re listening to me?”

“It’s your city, Ollie,” He said rolling his eyes. 

They looked over as the man flew towards them. Barry nodded as Oliver started firing arrows, one right after the other, only to roll out of the way right before the winged man rammed into him. 

Barry created a wind tunnel as the man came back around and while he was caught there Oliver’s arrow finally hit its mark and the man fell. Once he was on the ground Barry began running in circles around him, building up electricity. He came around, flinging a lightning bolt and knocked the man unconscious. 

“That’s new.” Oliver brought his arm around like Barry had.

“Yeah, comes in handy.”

~*~*~

Barry and Oliver stood side by side and waited for the winged man to wake up, the others flanked behind them Oliver glanced at Barry as the man started to stir and folded his arms across his chest. Barry glanced over before standing with his arms to his side and kept his gaze focused forward. 

“Where is she?”

“What’s your name?” Oliver asked.

“You’re putting her in danger and I’m the only one capable of saving her!”

Thea chuckled. “You have a very interesting perspective on what the word saving means.”

“She’s the love of my lifetime, sweetheart. I was not going to hurt her. You need to let me go!”

He said again, pulling at the chains. He stopped as Kendra walked in. “Chay-Ara.”

“My name is Kendra Saunders.”

“In this life. I am - was Carter Hall. But that is not who we are.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re Priestess Chay-Ara and I’m Prince Kufu. And we’re lovers. Soulmates. We’ve been partners for 4000 years. We’re drawn to each other in each life and after we die we reincarnate to find each other again. And again and again. And now that I’ve found you we should really get out of here!”

“Okay, Romeo, why don’t you pump the brakes.” Cisco said and walked over so he was in front of Kendra. 

“These people cannot protect you from Savage any longer.”

“Do you know who Vandal Savage is?” Oliver asked and Barry could tell from the tone that he was starting to lose his patience.

Carter sighed. “In every lifetime he hunts us down and kills us. He’s done it 206 times. And I’m not planning on making it 207.”

“Why does he kill you?” Diggle asked, mirroring Oliver’s stance. 

“His life force is tethered to ours. Every Time he kills us he becomes more powerful. You do the math.”

Cisco raised his eyebrow. “You’re 0 for 206 and you still think you’re her best bet?”

“Okay, so what we need to do is just find Savage and get rid of him,” Barry said, turning to face Oliver, who nodded.

“Well, you can’t get rid of him, my friend.” 

“Oh yeah?” Barry asked. “Watch us.”

“It might be harder than you think,” Merlyn started as he stepped out from the shadow. 

Barry turned to Oliver again. “Is that the only way this guy knows to enter a room?”

Oliver held his hand up to quiet Barry and looked towards Merlyn. “My associates told me that Savage left Star City a few hours ago.”

“For where?”

“We’re not quite sure, but I assume after his run in with you he realized that he needed something more powerful to complete his mission. We think that he's trying to locate the Staff of Horace.”

“Sorry, what is that?” Thea asked.

“It's a relic from our past. An ancient and powerful weapon. If Savage gets his hands on it it's going to be nearly impossible to stop him,” Carter said looking at the group of heroes.

“Since when did our lives become an Indiana Jones movie?” Cisco muttered. 

“Felicity?” Oliver asked.

“Yeah?”

“Think you can find it?”

“Yeah, it's probably at a museum somewhere. I’ll ah, work my magic. See what I can find.” She walked to her computers.

“We’re running out of time,” Carter said and looked over at Kendra. “You need to emerge. Now. Come on, what’s it going to take for you to believe me? You saw my wings. I know you know this is true. Please, just let me show you how.”

~*~*~

“So, you just want me to jump?”

“Fall, jump, swan dive. Whatever suits you just ah, do it.”

“Okay, this isn’t the X-Games,” Cisco said, frowning.

Oliver watched Carter and Kendra. “So this is how she emerges? Falls towards her death?”

“Yep. 4000 years experience says that’s exactly how. Just watch and learn.”

Barry looked between Carter and Oliver like they were nuts. “No, I'm sorry. What are we doing? Why are we listening to this guy? Come on, Oliver. You’re supposed to be the one that asks questions.”

“Okay, but after what we saw, after what Cisco said, I can’t believe I’m going to say this but kinda makes sense.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Barry panicked as Kendra climbed onto the ledge. 

“I need to try,” She said.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, she is.” Carter stepped forward and shoved her off.

“Barry!” Cisco yelled. 

Barry ran down the building and caught her before she hit the ground. “What the hell was that!?”

“Saving her life. You should have emerged. Something is blocking you. Why don’t we just try again and see - “

“No, no, no. We’re not doing that again. Kendra, you don’t have to do this. Oliver, we can stop Savage, okay?”

“Barry!”

“What?”

“Talk to you for a second?” Oliver said softly and nodded away from the group. “What is going on with you?” He asked when they were alone.

“I’m trying to keep her alive.”

“Then I think we let her jump.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Barry, I get that you’re desperate to help and that you want to be the hero and you want to save her yourself but I think she has to have a part in it too.”

“I…”

“What?” He asked softly.

“I just, the rules keep changing. One day I have to run through time, the next I’m fighting a telepathic gorilla, and now we’re what? We’re chasing down an immortal madman on a rampage against a reincarnated warrior priestess. I just never thought I’d have super powers and feel more powerless than I have in my entire life.”

“That part I understand,” Oliver said, hugging him. “But you have already helped Kendra, you have kept her alive. So now let's help her get her wings and she can give you a lift back to Central City. Or my place, I’m partial to the second option myself.”

Barry laughed softly against his neck and pulled back when he felt Oliver tense. “What?

“Central City.” He said and made his way back down to Felicity. “You need to check Central City for the staff. Kendra, you said you were drawn there.”

“Yeah,”

“I think you’re drawn to things that destroy you the same way you two are drawn to each other,” Oliver explained.

“That’s why it wasn’t in any museum or private collection. It was consecrated eight months ago at St. Mark’s in Central City.”

“We’ve got to get it before Savage does,” Barry said.

“Carter, stay here. Call Thea and Diggle to hold down the fort in case Savage shows up,” Oliver said to Felicity.

“Kendra, last year I lost my powers. The only way I could get them back is if I just forgot everything that was going on around me and focused on who I was. Just believe in yourself and your true self will emerge,” Barry said giving her a smile. 

~*~*~

Barry ran them from Star City to Central City. It didn’t take long, but Barry enjoyed the feeling of the wind in his face and Oliver against him. He set him down outside the church and followed Oliver in. 

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing, I just like to speed into rooms usually,” Barry said and shrugged.

“Uh-huh...where do you think we find this thing? I haven’t been in one of these places in awhile.”

Together they walked to the front of the church, Barry holding his arm out to stop him. “We’re too late.”

“Something you’re not used to saying very often, I’d imagine.” Savage walked out from behind some of the art work.

“What is it with bad guys and shadows?” Barry muttered as Oliver drew his bow back.

“You tried those arrows once before remember. They didn’t quite finish the job now did they?”

“I’m not going to make that mistake again.” Oliver said simply, his eyes never leaving the man.

“You’re going to leave Kendra alone,” Barry added.

“I can’t do that. While my destiny is to live forever, Chay-Ara's is to die. As is yours now.”

Barry sped off, trying to get hits in while Oliver fired arrow after arrow, all of them blocked by the power that was being emitted from the staff. Both Oliver and Barry took shelter behind a pew and looked at each other. 

“Any ideas?” Oliver asked.

“Oh, now you’ll listen to me?”

“It’s your city.”

“You two are like an old married couple,” Felicity said over the comms. 

They both rolled their eyes. “Let’s just..try to get the staff.”

“All right, on my mark.” Once Barry nodded Oliver stood up and let an arrow loose. While Savage was distracted Barry ran up to try and take it from him but was sent flying back towards Oliver. 

Oliver growled and started stalking down the down the center isle, firing arrows as fast as he could hoping once would make it past the barrier that Savage was creating around him. He could see the blue light build and was sent back as it hit him, Barry finally managing to get up.

Barry helped Oliver up as they turned to face Savage again. “In all my years I have never met anyone with your capabilities. Astonishing!”

Barry took a step forward to get in front of Oliver, hoping that whatever force the staff put out this time he would be able to heal from. Oliver didn’t have the ability to speed heal and Barry hoped his enhanced body would be able to take the blast. 

“Chay-Ara…” Savage looked towards the ceiling before gazing back at Barry and Oliver. “I used to enjoy slow deaths and now I just find them boring.”

Barry grabbed Oliver and ran them both from the building as Savage slammed the staff onto the floor. They watched as the glass shattered and fired exploded from the doors. 

“Thanks,” Oliver said softly. 

“Yeah. Any chance he blew himself up in there?”

“Not likely.”

“So that’s like, a tie, right?”

“I guess.”

“I will take it,” Barry said, catching his breath. 

~*~*~

Oliver walked in the cortex, putting his phone in his pocket. “Everyone will be here tomorrow so we can figure out our next move. And apparently Kendra got her wings.”

“Cisco sent me a video, it is pretty cool.”

“Jealous, Bar?”

Barry laughed softly and hugged him. “Hardly, I’m still faster than they are.” He pulled back when Oliver winced. “You got hurt. How bad is it?”

“Just some bruises, nothing a hot shower won’t fix.”

Barry nodded. “Do you want to stay here? I have a feeling you don’t want to stay at my place with Joe and it's kinda late to settle into a hotel.”

“Are you staying with me?” 

“Definitely. I’ll run and get you some clothes, go ahead and take your shower.” Barry leaned up and kissed him softly before running out. 

Oliver watched him leave before walking back down the hallway and into a bathroom and starting the shower. He got out of his uniform and stepped under the spray, letting the hot water soothe the bruises from the last couple of days. 

He could feel the electricity in the air before he heard Barry slide to a stop. “I got you…”

Oliver looked over his shoulder. “Got me what?”

“Um...some sweats to sleep in and a change of clothes for tomorrow,” Barry said. His cheeks were red and he was averting his eyes. 

“Really, Barry? It's nothing you haven’t seen before.”

“Yeah, I know but...well it's been a while and we haven’t talked about this or even...made out since everything happened.”

“Well, the way I see it, we have two options right now.”

“O-Oh?”

“You could join me in here and we talk after. Or I finish up and we can talk once I’m done.”

Barry bit his lip. “Sounds like both options include that talk.”

“They do.”

“Can’t believe I’m going to say this...because god damn...but we should wait. Talk first.” Oliver chuckled but nodded and Barry felt relief run through him. “One floor down, I’ll wait in the room for you,” he said and left the bag of clothes on the counter.

Barry slipped out and took his time walking to the room he had used when he was living at S.T.A.R Labs full time. He let himself cool down, thinking of anything to get the image of Oliver, naked and in the shower, out of his head. 

He changed into a pair of comfortable pajama pants and a t-shirt. Barry looked around the room and cursed to himself. He sped around the room and tidied it up and changed the bedding. He stopped when he heard laughing and saw Oliver leaning in the doorway. The image of Oliver in the shower was replaced with Oliver standing there in a pair of low slung sweats and no shirt, hair still damp from the shower.

“I go through a lot of snacks.”

“Whatever you say, Bar,” he said and walked in. He set down the clothes that Barry had brought him. He made his way over and sat with him on the bed. 

Barry frowned slightly and ran his fingers over his back. “Those look pretty rough. I have some cream that might help.” Oliver nodded and watched as Barry crossed the room and grabbed a small tube before making his way back. He sat behind Oliver and put a small dot on his hand; he rubbed it into the bruises gently. 

“I’m used to doing things alone,” Oliver said softly. “The few people that I met or that helped me during those five years has either turned against me or died. I’m scared to get that close to you. That you’ll up and leave or get taken from me.” 

Barry took some more cream and worked on another bruise. “You know that I can’t promise to always be around. Neither of us can. And I can’t promise we’ll always be together.I feel like we’ve had this talk before.”

Oliver leaned back and settled against Barry’s chest. “We have.”

“I love you,” Barry said softly. “And I believe you when you say it back. But you disappeared, I thought you were dead and you didn’t tell me you were going off for the duel. Then joining the League...you got married - “

“That marriage doesn’t count.” Barry chuckled softly and hooked his chin over Oliver’s shoulder. “I don’t know how to do this.”

“Do what?”

“Not sabotage us.”

Barry leaned his head against Oliver’s and continued to hold him from behind, his legs on either side of Oliver’s. He ran his fingers over Oliver’s stomach and closed his eyes. “Just let me in. I don’t expect you to be perfect. I’m not, but we can’t do this together if you don’t let me in. And I’m not going to just walk away.”

Oliver took Barry’s hand in his, stopping the movement across his stomach. “Keep sticking with me and I’ll keep trying.”

“Yes, sir.”

He smiled and kissed Barry’s hand before turning his head to the side and kissing the man himself. Barry closed his eyes and moved closer, pulling back and laughing when Oliver flipped them so that Barry was laying on the bed. 

“Much better. I was going to get a cramp in my neck if we kept that up.”

“Old man.”

Oliver huffed and pinned his hands. “Take it back.” Barry laughed again and Oliver couldn’t help but smile and kiss him again. He slid his hands under Barry’s shirt and whined when he pulled away.

“When we win.”

Oliver laid next to him and pulled Barry close to him, his hand resting on his stomach and under his shirt. “When we win.”

*~*~*

Oliver stood next to Barry as they waited in line for coffee and looked around. “Since when is that a thing?” He motioned to the menu.

“About eight months. Maybe if you save Star City you might get one too,” Barry said smiling and held his hand out to him. Oliver smirked and took it, stepping forward in the line with him. “By the way, we still need to get Savage.”

“We’ll get him.” He was pushed away from Barry by a kid that came barrelling through. “Watch yourself, buddy.” Oliver said as he knelt down to pick up the toy the kid had dropped. He looked at Barry when he saw it was a Flash figure and shook his head. “Don’t want to lose this guy.”

“Thanks, mister.”

Oliver smiled as the kid took it back. “Yeah.” He watched him, freezing when the boy stopped in front of Samantha. 

“Ollie?” Barry asked softly. “Oliver?”

He shook himself out of his as the pair left the building. “Yeah, Barry?”

“Something wrong?”

“I don’t know,” He said softly.


	2. Yesterday

“Bunch of superheroes in a farmhouse? Feel like I’ve seen that in a movie before.”

Oliver reached into the trunk of their rental car and pulled his bag out, smirking slightly. “We need a secure location,” he said following her towards the house.

“What’s wrong with S.T.A.R. Labs?” Caitlin asked, stepping in line with him. 

“Well, I mean absolutely nothing if you forget about the revolving door you guys installed so that bad guys can come and go as they please.”

She scoffed slightly and raised her eyebrow towards him. “Remind me again what happened to your old lair? Or the one before that.”

“Well, lair number one was compromised by the police and...I will stop helping.” Oliver looked at her stone-faced and Felicity turned away from the conversation, but not before he could see her smirk forming.

“Savage only let Barry and I live because he felt Kendra start to emerge as Hawk Girl and went after her. He can sense her and Carter’s presence. We don’t need to make it easier on him by staying in the city limits.” Oliver took his place in front of them and let them through the small archway and up to the house they’d rented for the week.

“Wish you’d stayed at your mother’s place now.” Diggle said looking over his shoulder at Laurel.

Oliver looked around the small house and placed the bag containing his suit on the dining room table. “We need to find a way to neutralize Savage’s advantage. Barry, you’re late,” he said barely glancing over. He could feel the corner of his mouth turn up as he looked at the speedster.

“Sorry, turned out it's not easy finding the ass end of nowhere,” Barry sassed back at him, smiling sweetly. 

“Yeah, for real. The roaming charges alone are going to bankrupt me.” Cisco stepped up next to Barry and was enough to make them break eye contact before anyone on Barry’s team could see how they were watching each other.

“We’re discussing how to take away Savage’s new found power.”

“Yeah, his magic stick thing,” Felicity said as she mentioned with her hand. Barry started to chuckle but they were both silenced when Oliver started giving them a look.

“Ah, Staff of Horace.” Carter added from behind them.

“It’s protected by some kind of energy field. I couldn’t lay a finger on it.” Barry rubbed his back where he remembered hitting the pews. The bruise may be gone but he could still feel where he’d impacted the solid wood. 

“Maybe if you wear mittens next time,” Felicity joked. Oliver rubbed his forehead, the headache that usually showed up whenever Bary and Felicity were together making itself known in almost record time. 

“What if we made some sort of insulated gauntlets?” Caitlin suggested, popping up next to Felicity.

“Yeah, the magnetic shielding could disrupt the -” Cisco said excitedly, finally looking away from the service indicator on his cell phone.

“Staff’s magnetic polarity.” Felicity finished, almost bouncing in place. Barry nodded in understanding and watched her, Caitlin, and Cisco walked away. He looked over when Oliver stepped forward and started talking.

“Well, why the geek squad works -”

“Heard that!” Felicity yelled back towards them and Barry couldn’t help but smile. 

“To get the staff away from Savage we need to know everything there is to know about him.” Oliver nudged Barry gently with his shoulder before walking to join the rest of the team in the living room.

“Well, I googled reincarnated nutjobs and came up with nothing,” Thea said, looking up from her tablet.

“Kendra and I would be the reincarnated nutjobs, Savage is merely immortal.” Carter put what looked like an old shipping crate onto the end of the couch.

“Really?” Laurel asked looking around at everyone

“Welcome to the new normal.” Thea walked over so she could lean on the kitchen island.

“Anyone that’s been around for 4000 years should leave a trail. I’ll check with A.R.G.U.S., see if they have anything on him.” Diggle pulled his phone out and walked outside to make a call to his wife.

“Laurel and I can check police reports, stuff like that.” Thea suggested and headed out after Diggle once Oliver nodded his consent, Laurel not far behind her. 

Oliver looked around the room and focused on Kendra. “We need to find a way to utilize your new ability.“

“My ability?” Kendra asked

“Might give us an advantage.” Oliver said nodding

“Whatever you do, don't let him train you.” Oliver looked over and Barry and frowned. “I’m sorry, but everytime it rains I can still feel where you shot me with those arrows. I don’t think she’s quite ready for you, Ollie.”

“I’ll handle the training then.” Carter walked over to where they were talking and looked at Kendra. He motioned her out the door and the pair walked out. 

“Yeah,” He agreed, glaring at Barry. From the smile that Barry through his way Oliver could tell that he hadn’t managed to put any heat behind it. 

“Oliver,” Felicity said walking in, almost bumping into him.

“I need to run something down. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Oliver pat her on the arm and headed towards the front door. 

“And what exactly are you running down?” Felicity jogged after him, her heels clicking on the floor. 

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing dangerous.” He assured her.

“Well, are you okay?” She asked. 

“Well, we’re up against an immortal mad-man armed with a magical staff so I do have a few things on my mind.” Oliver made his way down the stairs.

“What about you and Barry?”

He could feel the smile pulling at the corner of his mouth at Barry’s name. “We’re good. Well, getting there. We had a talk last night, a serious one.”

Felicity nodded, still walking next to him as he got to the car. “Okay, if that’s not what’s on your mind then what is?”

“I’m fine, just this situation is unique.”

“Yeah, but you were acting fine with everything while we were home and now that we’re here in Central City you’ve just been...not you. So why the sudden change?” Felicity

“Maybe it's too bright and sunny for me here.” THe look of disbelief on her face made him backtrack slightly. “There is something going on and I am going to tell you all about it. I would just like the chance to know what I’m dealing with first.”

“Okay.” Felicity

“Okay.” Oliver

*~*~*

Oliver used the drive into the city to figure out what he wanted to say to Samantha when he got there. He’d had a hard time believing that she would have lied to him about the pregnancy. He’d been scared, terrified, if he was truly honest with himself, but even back then he’d had no intentions of abandoning her or the baby. He would have done whatever he could to make sure she and the baby were taken care of. 

He parked the car across from the address he’d asked Barry to get for him and waited for a few moments. And Barry, what was he going to tell him. When he’d asked for the address Barry and looked at him, but didn’t pry. And even when the speedster had text it to him there were still no questions asked. Oliver wasn’t sure what was going to happen when he confronted Samantha, but he was going to have to figure out what exactly to tell Barry. He’d owe him, and Felicity, an explanation.

Oliver stepped out of the car when He saw Samantha and her son step out of the house and to the van parked in front of it.

“Oliver?” Samantha

“Hi.” Oliver said smiling, keeping the nerves from his voice. 

“I’ll be right back,” Samantha said to the boy before crossing the street to Oliver. “What are you doing here?”

“Sorry to just drop in unannounced. I came to town the other day and I saw you with your son.” Oliver started to explain.

“William” Samantha

“William, that’s a nice name.”

“Oliver, what are you doing at my house?” Samantha asked.

“I saw you and William together and I...it's difficult not to wonder because he’s what, nine, and we had our thing ten years ago and - “

“Let me stop you right there,” Samantha interrupted. 

“All right.”

“William isn’t yours. I told you I lost our baby, Oliver.” She kept her voice low and Oliver could see Wiliam watching them from the van.

“Yes.” He looked down at the sidewalk, just listening to her voice and picking up the nervousness that was radiating off of her.

“And I met William’s father two months after moving to Central City so - “

“Mom, we’re going to miss the game!” William called from his seat. 

“Sorry, I have to go,” she said, the relief palpable in her voice at her way out. 

“No, go.” Oliver forced a smile onto his face, one that he had practiced since he’d come back from the island. 

“Okay.” Samantha turned away, William’s hat falling from her hand.

“Oh...here you are.” Oliver handed it to her, after brushing off the leaves that had managed to stick to it.

“Thank you,” she said softly. 

The look on her face made him want to keep her there. To really get the truth but he could see how uncomfortable she was and took a step back. “Wish William good luck for me.”

“I will.” Samanatha jogged across the street and Oliver looked down at the hair in his hand.

He closed his fist around it, letting out a quiet and frustrated sigh as his phone went off in his pocket. “Now’s not a good time, Malcolm,” Oliver said watching Samantha and William drive away.

“I arranged a meeting with Vandal Savage. You, me, and the speedster.”

“What? Wait, why -” Oliver turned away from the disappearing van and got in his car. 

“Because negotiation is the only way out of this situation, Oliver. Savage is going to decimate Central City to get what he wants. If your child were here you’d understand. So suit up. I’ve already spoken to Fleet Feet, he’s on his way.”

~*~*~

Barry sped through the city, making his way to the location the Malcolm Merlyn had given to him over the phone. He had called Oliver shortly after he’d spoken with Merlyn to make sure this wasn’t some hoax that the head of the League had put together to get at them. 

Oliver’s voice on the phone had sounded distracted, but when Barry tried asking him if he was okay Oliver simply brushed it off. And after Barry insisted Oliver had only reassured him that he would bring him up to speed once things had calmed down. 

He was just about there when he saw something to his left. His eyes went wide when he realized it was a glimpse of himself and he felt dread pooling in his stomach. Barry managed to stop himself as he barreled into the warehouse. He looked around, his eyes landing on Oliver but the other man didn’t seem to notice the fear in them. 

“Thank you for coming. I know this is more than a little crazy,” Oliver said as Barry walked towards him and Malcolm. 

As he got closer Barry could see the glimmer of concern in his boyfriend’s eyes and, despite the seriousness of the situation, he felt a little relieved at knowing that Oliver had picked up on Barry’s worry. Now it seemed like there was something they both needed to get off their chests. But, that was for later. After they’d won. “Yeah, well your friend with the creepy ring asked so nicely. Please tell me we’re not going to negotiate with terrorists. Or you know, 4,000 year old bad guys.”

“Just think of this more as a fact finding mission. Maybe Savage slips up and gives us something that we can use to our advantage.” Oliver kept his eyes on Barry, checking him over to see if there was something physical that Barry was keeping from him. Barry minutely shook his head and some of the stiffness released from Oliver’s stance. 

“Thea said you were being a little more humorous lately.” Malcolm finally spoke, pulling both Barry and Oliver from their evaluations of each other.

“I’m sorry, how do you know so much about Savage anyway?” Barry asked.

“I don’t know anything about him, Mr. Allen. No one does. That is why I’m afraid of him.”

“That’s not the only reason to be afraid of me, I assure you. Thank you for joining me.” Savage stepped out of the shadows and crossed the floor towards them. 

“What do you want?” Oliver demanded and tightened his grip on his bow. Barry flanked him on his left side. His arms hung to his side but he was leaned forward slightly, ready to run at Savage if things took a bad turn.

“What all living things want. Not to die,” Savage said, as if he was stating an obvious fact.

“I thought that wasn’t a problem for you?” Barry glanced at Oliver, watching his body language before looking back at the immortal in front of them.

“Only if I take the life force from Prince Kufu and Priestess Chay-Ara.”

“Kendra and Carter.” Barry corrected him on instinct. He could almost hear Oliver’s eyes roll.

“The three of us are locked in a vicious circle played out over thousands of years. None of your concern.”

“We’ve made it our concern.” Oliver quickly pulled an arrow from his quiver and shot it into Savage’s chest. Barry, Oliver, and Malcolm watched in silent awe as he pulled it out and started walking towards them.

“Robin of Locksley, I taught him how to use a bow. He taught me how to not feel pain.” He played with the arrow in his hand as he leisurely made his way in front of the trio. “I’m the enemy you can’t defeat. The only for you and yours to live through this is to render unto me what is mine. Turn over Prince Kufu and Priestess Chay-Ara within 24 hours or I will lay waste to this city, killing everyone that you hold dear.” He stopped in front of Barry, pointing the bloody arrow at his face as he spoke before moving to stand in front of Oliver. “ And after that I will travel to your home and do the same thing there.”

“All right, I’m just curious. Did you rehearse that speech in a mirror this morning or is this all just off the cuff?” Barry spoke before he could stop himself and Savage merely laughed. 

He stopped suddenly, his face going blank as he turned and started walking away from them. “Why would you risk the lives of your friends and family or two strangers? 206 times I have killed them. What hubris possesses you that makes you think that you can prevent me from doing so again?”

“Not hubris,” Barry smiled at him. “Hope.”

“I came to this meeting out of curiosity. It is now sated. Bring Kufu and Chay-Ara to Jorgenson Industrial in 24 hours or I will see you dead and buried under the bodies of your loved ones.” Savage dropped the arrow and walked away.

“We’re not giving up Kendra and Carter.” Oliver made sure the man was going before turning away and heading out of the building. 

“That’s not your decision to make. This is a cycle that has played out for the last 4000 years.” Malcolm argued.

“Savage may be immortal but he isn’t a god,” Barry said, shaking his head.

“No, but he’s the next best thing. Oliver - “ Malcolm started.

“What?” Oliver demanded, his voice harsh. Barry took his eyes off of Malcolm and focused them back on the archer.

“You better be certain that your stubbornness does not get my daughter killed. Because if that happens I will come for you and in a way that will make you beg for the likes of Vandal Savage.” Malcolm threatened and turned his back on the pair of heroes.

Barry took the final few steps that separated him and Oliver. “Hey, you all right?”

Oliver took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out. “Let’s focus on one issue at a time, okay, Bar?”

Barry nodded and pecked his lips. “All right. One problem at a time. Stay with me tonight?”

He nodded and pecked his lips again. “I’ll race you.”

~*~*~

“24 hours.” Oliver stood in the kitchen at the farmhouse the next morning, most of the teams circled around him. 

“Until what?” Kendra asked

“Till we are supposed to hand you and Carter to Savage or -”

“Or Savage will lay waste to Central City.” Carter finished for him.

“Yep.”

“We’ve been through this before 1887, Savage killed nearly 2 million people to get to us. And he did.” Everyone looked towards Carter as he spoke. He explained about a flood that had happened hundreds of years ago. 

“We weren’t helping you then. We are now. We have 24 hours to come up with a workable plan.”

  
  


“No. This is insane. My life isn’t worth millions of peoples lives.” Kendra shook her head at Oliver and Carter before stalking out of the house and into the field behind it. 

“Kendra...I’ll talk to her,” Carter walked after her.

“Hey, I got this.” Cisco grabbed his jacket.

“I said I’ll talk to her.” Carter pushed past him. 

“Hey, here’s an idea. Why don’t we just toss him over to Vandal Savage.” Cisco put his jacket on and walked out to the garage they had turned into his makeshift workshop. “Where were you?” 

“Hey.” Barry said once he realized Cisco was there. He walked after him into the building, rubbing his hands together nervously. 

“You missed the whole ‘save the city or turn my girlfriend over to the immortal psychopath’ briefing.”

“I’m sorry. Um dude, I - last night I ah , I ghosted.” Barry fidgeted next to the work bench, his hands flying around his face as he tried to keep himself calm. 

“No.” Cisco almost whined. 

‘Yeah, I think I’m gonna - “

“Don’t say it,” Cisco begged.

“I think I’m going to time jump.”

“I just told you not to say it!”

“Sorry, I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.” Barry walked around to the front of the workbench and leaned on it, facing Cisco head on. 

“Barry, the first rule about time travel is you don’t talk about time travel because by having this conversation we’re screwing history,” his best friend practically hissed at him. 

“Look, I know that time travel has consequences. I mean the last time you vibed -”

“Well, I’m not vibing anything right now. Okay, um, all right, look. Don’t panic. A, 

you don’t know that you time jumped for a bad reason. I could have been a good one, right?”

Barry grimaced and shrugged, wanting Cisco to be right.

“B, now that you know you time jumped you might not do it, right? So, knowing the future might change the present which might change the future.”

“What?” Barry asked, trying to sort out Cisco’s line of thinking.

“My head hurts,” Cisco muttered. 

Barry ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “I just...all right. I have to get going. Oliver needs help with something about Damien Darkh and I have to do some work before Singh fires me. Let me know if there’s something you need for the gauntlets.”

“What I need is to now know about this time jump and for you to get rid of the tall, muscular guy trying to take Kendra away from me.”

“Sorry, dude. But, if it makes you feel better, she’d be stupid for choosing him over you.” Barry could see the start of a smile before he ran off to CCPD.

~*~*~

“You want me to do a DNA test?” Barry asked.

“Yeah, that’s what I said. I think the person the hair belongs to is connected to Darkh personally. And I need every leg up on this guy that I can get.” The words were sour in Oliver’s mouth. He wanted to tell Barry the truth, but he needed to know first, had to be sure that William was or wasn’t his. 

“All right,” Barry said softly and took the samples from Oliver, walking over to his station and preparing to run the test. “You know, if you need help with him, just say the word and I’ll be there. Anytime you ask.”

Oliver leaned on one of the many tables that were placed around Barry’s lab and folded his arms over his chest. “I know...how long does this test take?”

“Not everything here works at superspeed, Ollie. Why don’t you run and get us some lunch and I’ll try to get some more work done so I don’t lose my job.” 

“Lunch...fine.” Oliver said and Barry watched as he walked out of the room and down the stairs. He was tempted to call in Felicity, to see if she knew just what was going on with Oliver. Barry knew that it wasn’t as simple as someone being connected to Darkh but he didn’t want to go behind Oliver’s back. And, if Barry was honest with himself, he wanted Oliver to tell him; he wanted Oliver to prove that they were a team, that the secret keeping was over. 

While Oliver was gone Barry shut the door and worked through some of the files that had piled up while he was off crime fighting. He slowed to a normal pace when the door started to open, relieved when it was Oliver coming back with a pizza box and two cups balanced on top. 

“Delivery.”

“Great...what are you eating?” Barry asked sitting across from where Oliver had set the food down.

“Not really hungry.”

Barry frowned and put his drink down. “You are going to tell me what’s bothering you? Right?”

Oliver nodded. “Eventually, I promise. I just need to be sure of something first, okay. But I promise to tell you.”

The speedster nodded and finished off the pizza, changing the conversation to something a little more safe. “So my team still hasn’t figured it out.”

“No offense Barry, you may have a team of geniuses backing you, but they have very little common sense.”

Barry snorted and leaned back, sipping his drink. “Well, at least Joe knowing is helping out. His new partner was trying to get friendly with me.”

Oliver’s head shot up from where he was looking at something on his phone. “What?”

He raised his eyebrow. “What? You noticed me, other people won’t? She’s harmless. Joe got her to back off, I told her I was seeing someone. It's fine.”

Oliver nodded and muttered what sounded like “mine” under his breath as the machine on the other side of the room beeped and something began printing. Suddenly, Oliver was pacing as Barry made his way over to get the results.

“Okay, here you go. I gene sequenced the hair strand with the blood sample you gave me. Still not sure what this is supposed to do with Damien Darhk. But the Y chromosomes match.” Barry frowned as Oliver just stood in shock, looking at the paper Barry had handed to him. “Are you okay?”

“Thanks for this, this is a big help.” Oliver pushed the paper back into his hands and walked away.

“Yeah.”

Oliver stopped and turned to face him. “Barry, don’t tell anyone about this,” he said and was out of the room moments later.

“All right, I’d like to know what’s going on here.” Felicity stormed in just as Oliver vanished around the corner. 

“Felicity - “ Barry said looking surprised.

“Yes, I tracked you down. I find people for a living. Actually I don’t get paid but -” Barry turned away from her and sped the results into his pocket. “What was that?” Felicity asked motioning his hands

“What was what?”

“You just super-speeded something into your pocket.”

“Oh, um, no, nothing. Well actually it's ah, it's something Oliver wanted me to track down. It’s about Damien Darhk,” Barry spilled.

“I want to see it.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t want me to see it.”

“I’m sorry, Oliver specifically asked me - “

“Show me,” Felicity demanded

“Okay. I don’t know what the big deal is. It's just a DNA test.” Barry watched her, hoping she would shed some light on the situation. He wanted to wait for Oliver to tell him, but his curiosity was eating away at him.

“No it's not,” Felicity said softly. “Barry, this is Oliver’s DNA.”

Barry leaned more heavily against the shelving unit, his mouth dropping open slightly. “O-Oh.”

~*~*~

Oliver left the lab and got in his car. He hadn’t intended to go to Samantha’s right away, but he realized that his mind was on its own path right now. He parked the car and made his way up to the house. “Can we talk?”

“Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish here, Oliver.” Samantha said after sending William inside. 

“I know Samantha. I know that William is my son,” he said pointing towards the door that William had entered moments before.

“Okay.” Samantha looked away from and Oliver watched as she realized the lie she had told was crashing down around her. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Oliver tried to stay quiet, but the hurt, the fear, the uncertainty was all bubbling up in his chest. 

“Okay, just keep your voice down. Your mother told me not to.”

“What?”

“She offered me a million dollars to tell you that I miscarried.”

“My mother was a complicated person but she would never do that.” Oliver knew that was a lie as soon as the words left his mouth. If his mother thought that she was protecting her family, there isn’t anything that would stop her. He’d witnessed that first hand.

Samantha sighed and waved him inside. “Wait here,” she said softly. 

Oliver closed the door behind him and took a few more steps in the house. He saw a small table with different photos of William throughout the years and the tightness in his chest returned as his emotions started to get the better of him again. He shook himself out of it as he heard Samantha walking back towards him. 

“Here, never cashed it.” He looked down at the check in his hands, easily recognizing his mother’s handwriting. “I didn’t need her money to know that I didn’t want her anywhere near my child.”

“Or me anywhere near him.” Oliver stated quietly. 

“So that he can be just like his dad? Punching out paparazzi and getting young girls knocked up?”

“Samantha, I’m not that person anymore.” Oliver knew that her words were meant to hurt and they did. But they were also true. That’s who he had been.

“I know. I know. You’re running for mayor. Your mother was killed. Your friend Tommy; you’re a different person now. But can you really tell me that your life is any less crazy? Can you honestly say that William isn’t better off with your world kept away from his?”

“You know, you’re right. I’m being selfish, but I want an opportunity to get to know my son and I think that a young boy deserves the opportunity to get to know his father.”

“He’s happy. He’s well adjusted. I don’t want to run the risk of his getting sucked into your orbit. That can’t happen, which means that he can’t know that you’re his father. And nobody else can. I don’t care if that sounds harsh. I am his mother. I will do whatever, whatever I feel that i have to do to protect him.”

Oliver could see the same fierceness and love in Samantha’s eyes that he had seen in his own mother’s. And deep down he could understand where she was coming from. He processed her words and his heart dropped into his stomach. “Samantha, there is someone in my life now, please don’t make me keep this from him.”

There was a flash of surprise on her face before it became serious again. “Oliver, you will if you want a relationship with my son. These are my conditions. You’ve already asked the world of me, I’m only asking for the same in return.”

He looked down at the check that was still in his hand and swallowed. “I need to go.” He said quietly and walked out, ignoring her calling his name. He took his time driving back to the farmhouse, his body on autopilot as he ran over the last couple hours in his mind. When he parked in front of the house and took a deep breath, frowning when he saw Barry on the porch. 

Oliver stepped through the gate and smiled at him. 

“Everyone’s waiting for you.”

“Sorry, just something I had to take care of,” He said, keeping the smile on his face and walking past him. 

“So I guess you’re off the secret keeping wagon.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

“You know what. I told you about Damien Darkh.” Oliver faced him. 

“Felicity showed up as you were leaving. She knew I was hiding something. She saw the test results.”

“Barry - “ Oliver started

“Stop. Think about what you’re going to say,” he warned. His voice was quiet but it had an edge to it that Oliver rarely heard.

“It's more complicated than that.”

“My god, Oliver. You are the only person on this planet who considers the truth complicated. Just to be clear, I don’t care that you have a child. I can’t believe that you have a child that you didn’t tell me about.”

“Do you know that my whole word just exploded? And I think that I’m entitled to ah, a minute to process that by myself.”

“And then what? Were you going to tell me? And keep it hidden from me?”

“I don’t know,” Oliver said quietly. 

“If you trusted us this wouldn’t be such a burden. It would be a relief. But you don’t trust me. You never will.”

“Barry…Samantha, William’s mother...if I tell anyone she won’t let me see him. What am I supposed to do? I know he’s out there now. I just can’t pretend that he doesn’t exist.” Oliver looked at her as Felicity stepped outside.

“Are you guys okay? Oliver, what happened?” Felicity asked

“Nothing, I’m fine,” Oliver said and Barry shook his head and walked past him, and into the house. He knew that Barry was angry but that had to wait. He’d fix this. He just got Barry back and he wasn’t going to lose him again. 

“Are you sure? You don’t seem fine, you seem out of it.”

“Later. Please? One issue at a time?” He asked her.

Felicity nodded her head slowly. “One issue at a time.”

“Is everyone inside?” Oliver asked.

“Yeah.” She and Oliver walked inside, Barry shut the door behind them as Oliver stepped back into the role of leader. 

“We’re coming up on Savage’s deadline. Are the gauntlets working?” Oliver asked, looking at Felicity.

“They have to be, we’re out of time.” Caitlin answered instead.

“I think they’ll work. That staff’s going to go from can’t touch this to invisible touch,” Cisco said, trying to lighten the mood but everyone stayed quiet. All of them notice the tension between Barry and Oliver. 

“Savage doesn’t know that Kendra has full access to her full abilities which makes you our ace in the hole. We’re going to put you up against Savage. You attack with the element of surprise.   
Oliver looked away from Kendra and looked at Barry, meeting his eyes from the first time since they got inside. “I will lay down cover fire, Barry you speed in and - “

“And get the staff, I got it.” Barry’s voice was even and he didn’t break eye contact but there was no hint of what he was feeling in his eyes. 

“Where do you need us?” Diggle asked

“This is me, Barry, Kendra, and Carter. We got it.” Oliver said shaking his head at the other members of his team

“Ollie!” Thea started to argue.

“No, we’re not risking anymore lives tonight than we have to.” Oliver walked out to change and Barry looked over at Kendra and Carter. 

“Suit up,” he said before walking out to do the same.

~*~*~

The ride over had been quiet. No one said anything and the only noise was Kendra shuffling around nervously in her seat. Barry quietly put the cuffs on them before they pulled up. Oliver parked the van and turned to look at them. “Let’s do this. Everyone ready?”

Everyone nodded and Barry opened the back of the van, herding them out, He gave Kendra’s shoulder and squeeze before pointing them to the door of the warehouse. Barry and Oliver walked behind them, Barry keeping distance between him and Oliver.

“You brought them. And dressed for the occasion, I see.” Savage stepped out of the shadows, almost exactly the same way he had the night before. 

“We’re only doing this because two lives aren’t worth two cities.” Oliver put on his ‘Arrow voice’ as Thea called it when he spoke to Savage.

“Well, in that case you are wiser than I gave you credit for. It’s been a lifetime. Still wearing those ridiculous outfits, I see.” He scoffed and Kendra and Carter before addressing Barry and Oliver again. “You don’t need to be here for this. This calling has a tendency to be...unsightly. Your new friends betrayed you,” Savage taunted his targets as he walked closer to them.’

“Just do what you’re going to do.” Carter sounded like he had accepted their fates. 

‘It's wonderful to see you again, my love.” Savage turned his focus entirely on Kendra. 

“I will never be your love,” Kendra said, her voice strong and sure for the first time since the whole thing had started.

“I know. That always makes this easier.” Savage grabbed the old flint knife that he kept separate from all his other weapons. Barry clenched his fists and Chay-Ara, parting is such sweet sorrow.”

As he lowered the knife Oliver stepped forward blocking it. While Oliver fought Savage away from Kendra and Carter, Barry quickly undid their chains. He looked over as Savage knocked Oliver to the ground with the staff and before he could even react, Barry was thrown across the warehouse with a blast from Savage’s weapon. 

Oliver yelled and attacked Savage, managing to knock the staff away from him. Barry groaned from where he had landed and heard Carter yell. “Now Kendra!”

Barry struggled to push himself up, only hearing the grunts that came from Oliver and Savage as they fought. And then he heard Oliver hit the ground and metal flying through the air. 

“Carter!” Kendra screamed. She ran at Savage and Barry saw her crumple to the ground seconds later. Oliver fired an arrow that merely rebounded off of Savage.

  
  


Barry pulled himself together and forced himself to get up. He sped across the room and grabbed the staff from where it had landed. “I’ve got it!” He turned the staff on Savage, the power from the staff making it hard for him to hold on. “The gauntlets aren’t working!” Barry yelled.

Oliver ran over and placed his hands on the staff, trying to help Barry gain control. He could feel the power of the staff and he could feel pain radiation across his body from trying to harness it. They’d failed. “Let go Barry!”

“I’m not leaving you.” Barry shook his head, looking at him. “Ollie, I’m not leaving you!”

“You’re fast enough to get away. Go!”

“Ollie, no.” Barry almost whispered.

“Run, Barry. Run,” Oliver pecked his lips before ramming his shoulder into Barry so he was forced to let go.

They locked eyes and Savage took his chance to grab the staff, sending Oliver to his knees. The villain yelled and brought the end of the staff down and a dome of energy started expanding.

“Ollie!” Barry yelled, watching in horror as Oliver was burned to ash in front of his eyes. He ran faster than he had before, trying to make it to their friends before they were killed by the surge that Savage had created. Tears burned his eyes and he saw the image of Oliver crumbling in front of him. He almost didn’t notice the figure of himself running to the right of him. He skidded to a stop, gasping when he saw Oliver standing in front of him.

“Thank you for coming. I know this is more than a little crazy.”

“Ollie?” He choked out. Barry stood quietly this time as they met with Savage and he gave them 24 hours to hand over Kendra and Carter. He was still starting at Oliver when the man dropped the bloody arrow and walked away. When Oliver turned to face him Barry could still only stare at him.

“Barry, you all right?” Oliver asked.

“I’ll see you at the farm house,” Barry said quietly and ran. 

~*~*~

“We need to brief the team. Come up with some sort of counter-attack.” Oliver said as he got off his Ducati and made his way over to where Barry and skidded to a stop.

“It’s not going to work.” Barry was quiet as he spoke, still having trouble getting the words to come out. He could smell the ash, taste it on his tongue from when Oliver and his city had started to fall to ash.

“What?” Oliver took his mask off and started walking towards Barry.

Barry pulled his cowl down and shook his head. He couldn’t tell him. He could mess things up more than he already had by traveling back in time. Time always got back at him for messing with it. “Nothing, never mind. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  
What’s going on?”

His mouth started moving before his mind could get it to stop. “All right, look. This isn’t going to make any sense to you but...all right, so I traveled back in time from when we try to take out Savage. I mean...later. When we try to take him down in the future and it doesn’t work.”

“You’re right, that doesn’t make sense to me.” Oliver stood in front of him with his hands on his hips and his face worried as he took in the manic look on Barry’s face. 

“My world is stranger than yours.”

“Well, maybe we use that to our advantage. You say that whatever we do against Savage doesn’t work, right?” Oliver asked.

“Yeah,” Barry agreed.

“Then we come up with a new plan.”

‘No, no, no, no. You can’t. All right, look, when I mess with time it just, it doesn’t end well.”

“But what you’re telling me is that it already doesn’t end well. Barry, people in our line of work don’t get second chances. We need to take this one.”

Barry looked Oliver over and again he was assaulted by the image of Oliver falling to ash in front of him and he could feel his stomach start to turn. “All right, I hope you’re right,” Barry whispered.

“All right. Let’s start with what went wrong.”

“You did. We did,” Barry amended. “When we go up against Savage our heads aren’t in the game.”

“Why not?” Oliver asked

“Oliver - “ Barry pleaded softly

“Barry, why not?” He asked again.

“Okay, are you planning on giving me a hair sample to run forensics on in the near future?”

Oliver seemed surprised but nodded not giving anything away.“Yeah.”

“Yeah. Well I did. And you were pretty shaken after the fact. And then Felicity found out and she saw the results. Told me what they meant. We had a pretty big fight.”

“I just got you back Bar, why would we fight?”

“Ollie - “

‘What was the fight about?” Oliver

“You’re someone’s father, Oliver. And you weren’t going to tell me. So when we go up against Savage we’re not focused. And then Kendra can’t access her powers and the tech they’re developing to counteract Savage’s staff does not work and...everyone dies, Oliver.”

“This time they won’t. This time we do things differently.”

Barry clenched his fists and Oliver pulled him into the workshop, hugging him. “I can’t watch you die again, Ollie. I can’t do it.” Barry gripped the back of Oliver’s jacket as tight as he could and Oliver could feel Barry’s tears against his neck.

“You won’t.”

“You were turned to ash and I just watched. I couldn’t - “

“Barry, that will not happen this time. It will be different, I promise.” Oliver stroked his hair and whispered against his ear. He only pulled back when the door to the house opened and Diggle walked out, asking them if everything was okay.

“They can’t know about the time jump,” Barry whispered.

Oliver nodded and walked towards Diggle, giving Barry time to collect himself. 

~*~*~

Barry slipped into Oliver’s room that night, once the rest of the house had quieted down. He got into the bed with him and rested his head on his chest. They didn’t talk, just leaned on one another until they fell asleep. In the morning, Oliver woke up before Barry did. He went to wake him but when he saw the dried tear tracks on his face he decided to let him sleep a little longer. He dressed and walked out, intending to do whatever he could so that Barry didn’t have to live through that reality again. He pushed William from his mind and focused on the task at hand. If they didn’t win, there wouldn’t be a William to worry about.

“How are they coming?” Oliver asked as he made his way into the workshop, watching Cisco fiddle with the gloves. 

“They’re my first pair of anti-Gandalf magic staff gloves. Pretty good, I think.”

“Well just double and triple check, okay? I’m a little worried about them not working.”

“Based on what?” Cisco asked, sounding slightly insulted. 

“Call it a gut instinct. Also, I need you to talk to Kendra.”

“Oh, I get it. You shoot arrows, you give love tips. It’s like you’re cupid or something.”

“What Carter’s doing with her isn’t working. We need her power to fight Savage and we need her to be able to use it reliably,” Oliver said, ignoring the sarcasm that Cisco threw at him. He wasn’t worried about Cisco’s love life. He was worried about the man up in bed. And the little boy across town. 

“Carter’s a jerk. But he’s supposed to be with her because destiny says they’re supposed to be together and he’s supposed to be her soulmate so I’m not even sure what I could say - “

“You need to do something, Cisco. We need to reach her.” Oliver interrupted his tirade. 

“Egyptian reincarnation is not in my wheelhouse!”

“What Kendra’s going through is about accepting who she really is. Who better to help her do that than a guy that’s clearly in love with her.” Oliver turned and walked away.

“I don’t know if we’re at the L-bomb stage yet.” Oliver turned and looked at him. “Fine, I’ll talk to her,” he muttered

~*~*~

“Oliver, you were right. I don’t know how you knew but you were right. The gauntlets won’t work. They’re missing a critical element.” Cisco rushed in, Kendra behind him. Barry looked at Oliver who shook his head. Barry relaxed slightly.

“How do you know?” Diggle asked

“Because I remembered. I remembered how Savage killed us the first time, back in Egypt,” Kendra spoke up.

“I’ve never been able to remember our first death.” Carter looked at her, slightly bewildered. 

“Well these sky rocks, meteors, they fell and they completely destroyed the royal palace,” she started to explain.

“During the middle kingdom Egypt experienced a high level of meteorite activity.” Felicity looked around as most of the room stared at her in shock. “What? I know stuff.”

“Which is one of the many reasons we love you so much, but also doesn’t seem to help us stop Savage,” Laurel pointed out. 

“It’s the calamity that Professor Boardman was referencing. The meteors, they had a glow about them. And Savage’s staff had two gemstones with the exact same glow.”

“Yeah, the gemstones might be made of the same element as the meteorite,” Barry said, starting to see where they were going with this theory. 

“The Egyptians would use meteorite in their craftsmanship.” Felicity turned and got back onto her lap top. 

“And the minerals glow in proximity to each other,” Caitlin said excitedly. 

“Like the Sankara Stones.”

“Wait, Indiana Jones reference is the only thing I understood,” Thea said, coming to stand next to Oliver. 

“Two pieces of the same meteorite, like an nth metal, that is the key to counteracting the staff.” Cisco didn’t look at her but was instead staring ahead as he tried to figure out a solution to their current problem. 

“Believe it or not this is not actually the craziest thing I’ve heard today,” Oliver muttered and Barry gave him a soft and apologetic smile. 

“There’s a sample of the meteorite from the middle kingdom at The Keystone City Museum of History - “ Felicity started and Barry flashed out of the room.

Before she could finish the sentence Barry was back and handing a rock to Cisco.“Hopefully I got the right one.”

“I could synthesize a compatible isotope out of this and coat the gauntlets with it.” Cisco nodded as he examined the piece of meteor. 

“Okay, do it. Savage doesn’t know that Kendra’s gained access to all her abilities. That makes you our ace in the hole,” Oliver started forming the plan out loud.

“Where do you need us?” Diggle asked.

Oliver glanced at Barry who nodded, smiling softly. “Suit up,” he told the rest of his team.

~*~*~

Oliver let out a breath as he and Barry stepped into the warehouse. He could feel the nerves coming from Barry.

“Ollie, everyone’s in position. Are you sure about this?” Barry asked.

“About changing the future?” He took Barry’s hand and squeezed it, looking back out at the warehouse floor. “Barry, what can happen here that is worse than what already did?” 

“If I knew that I wouldn’t be so worried.”

“Let’s do it.” Oliver squeezed his hand again before letting it go and walking forward. Kendra and Carter looked at Barry and he smiled gently, motioning them forward. He and Oliver took their positions behind them, this time Barry walking closer to Oliver.

He stood quietly as the scene played out in front of him, again, and he pushed his anxiety down. Barry could fall apart after they’d finally beaten savage. 

‘It's wonderful to see you again, my love.” Savage let his eyes roam over her form. 

“I will never be your love,” Kendra hissed at him. 

“I know. That always makes this easier. Chay-Ara, parting is such sweet sorrow.”

As Savage lifted the knife Oliver knocked his arrow and faced Kendra and Carter. He fired it, their chains falling off and Carter launched himself at Savage, only to be thrown to the side. 

“Now, Kendra!” Oliver yelled.

SHe flew at him, knocking him over but he didn’t lose his grip on the staff. Savage sent a beam of energy at Oliver and Barry, both of them flying towards opposite sides of the room. Team Arrow’s van sped in and drew Savage’s attention away from Barry and the others. Oliver started firing arrows into the fray, distracting Savage even further. 

When Barry saw his chance he ran over, grabbing the staff and getting clear of Savage. “Get clear!” He called out, all the others backing off and giving him space. He pushed forward and a beam came out.

Savage put his hands up, doing what he could to block the beam, it seeming to just bend around him. “The gauntlets are working!” Barry looked over as Oliver ran to his side, placing his hands on the staff by his. “No, no, Oliver get yourself safe.”

“We’re not leaving each other.” Oliver kept his eyes forward but Barry got the message and he nodded, focusing again on the man in front of them. Together they gave a final push forward with the staff and Barry watched as Savage disappeared in fire and ash, just like Oliver had done before. The staff vanished from their hand in a blast of blue light. 

“Did we do it? Is he gone?” Thea asked as she and the others ran back in. 

“Yeah, looks like.” Diggle nodded, looking at the pile of ash left on the floor.

“I knew you could do it,” Carter said quietly to Kendra.

“I’m having the strangest deja vu,” Laurel muttered.

“You’re not the only one.” Oliver smiled at Barry. 

~*~*~

“So how do you feel now that Savage is pushing daisies? Are you guys the immortal ones and he’s the one that gets reincarnated cause that would suck” Cisco asked as their small group walked down the stairs in the center of town.

“I just sprouted wings a few days ago and I’m just trying to wrap my head around that,” Kendra laughed softly, but they could all see that she was still slightly overwhelmed. 

“He does raise a good point though. Savage is gone for good now,right?” Barry asked

“I don’t know. We’ve never defeated him before. But we’re free.” Carter hugged Kendra and she returned it briefly.

“Ugh, get a room,” Cisco muttered under his breath.

“Finally have the rest of your lives in front you, have you thought about what you’re going to do?” Oliver asked them 

“Carter says in our past lives we used to help people. After everything you guys have done for me I think I should give that a try.”

“You make it sound like this try is happening somewhere else.” Barry

“In our prior incarnation in San Wilkin. You really liked it there.” Carter pointed out. 

“Could Cisco and I have a moment?” Kendra asked.

Oliver stepped away with Barry, giving them their own moment alone. “Well, you did it, Barry. Everyone’s alive. Our guardian angel.”

“That’s what you told me I could be when I told you about my powers,” Barry said softly. 

“I meant it then and I know it now.” Oliver knocked him gently with his shoulder.

“Hey Oliver, um, we need to have a difficult conversation.” Barry let out a deep sigh. 

“About my son? God it feels weird to say that.” Oliver shook his head, but smiled softly anyway. 

“Less about your son and more about what it means for us. If you’re going to tell your team about him.” Barry

“I don’t think that’s any of your business, teamwise, I mean.”

“You know, you’re right, it's not really my business except I told you when I mess with time, time messes back. And we’ve already changed how things turned out with Savage. And I’m worried about temporal backlash.”

“Wait, you think that the timeline care’s about what I tell my team?” Oliver asked

“What are you going to tell them?” Barry asked, both of them dancing around the subject of what it meant for them. 

“You’re right when you said the rules keep changing and the lives that we lead...they make us feel powerless. And it makes me wonder if maybe William would be better off with my world kept separate from his,” Oliver said quietly. 

“Look, Oliver, take it from someone who didn't get to grow up with his father, I think the best thing for William is for you to be part of his life.” Barry

“Thanks, Barry.” Oliver

Barry nodded and pulled Oliver in for a hug.

“I’m going to go see her...see if we can come up with something.

~*~*~

“Oliver, you will if you want a relationship with my son. These are my conditions. You’ve already asked the world of me, I’m only asking for the same in return.” Samantha walked away, clearing plates off the kitchen table. 

Oliver looked out the window, knowing that the person who mattered most already knew, he spoke up. “Okay. I won’t tell anyone.”

“William is in his room. You’re just a friend of mommy’s, okay?” Oliver nodded, and he could see the relief in her eyes when he had agreed to keep quiet. 

“Hey William.” Oliver knocked his knuckles against the door and looked around before focusing on the little boy in front of him. 

“Hello.”

“You like the Flash?” Oliver walked in and crouched down in front of him. “Can I tell you a secret? I’ve actually met the Flash.”

William looked up, suddenly interested in him. At least Oliver knew they had something in common - a like for Barry. Even if that like ran a little deeper and meant something more on Oliver’s side. “What’s he like? Is he cool?”

“Yeah, he’s super cool. He’s one of the best guys that I know.” He sat on the floor and smiled, holding his hand out for William to shake. “I’m Oliver. I’m a friend of your mom’s. We’ve known each other a long time.”

“Wanna play action figures?”

“Sure, sure.” He took out the figure that William handed to him. “William, I’d love to come by every once in a while. Say hello. Would that be all right with you?” Oliver

“That’s Captain Cold. He’s the bad guy,” William said. Oliver smiled, taking that as confirmation that he was passing the kid’s test so far. 

“Yes, he is. The Flash is going to have to be very fast to catch him.”

“He will. He’s the fastest man alive.” William leaned forward, making Barry’s action figure punch Captain Cold’s.

“Oh!”

“Gotcha,” WIlliam said smiling.

~*~*~

Oliver knocked on the door in front of him and stepped back slightly as he waited for someone to answer. It took a few moments and he could just hear Barry slid across the floor as he tried to stop. “Did you really do that in socks? And didn’t crash into anything?” Oliver asked when Barry opened the door. 

“Ah...hey Ollie.” He scratched the back of his neck and let him in. “Thought you were heading back to Star City.”

“Joe home?” He asked looking around the corner.

Barry shook his head and shut the door. “Still at the station.”

Oliver leaned against the back of the couch and looked at him. “I went to see Samantha and William. She ah...she told me that if I want to be in his life I can’t tell anyone.”

Barry walked over. “And?”

“I agreed. I may not have mentioned that you already know. But I was thinking about what you said, about me being in his life and...I want that Barry. I want to know him, even if he doesn’t know why I’m around.”

Barry wrapped his arms around his waist. “I was...so angry before. For you not telling me about your suspicions and lying to me to get me to run that test for you.”

“I - “

He put his fingers over Oliver’s mouth and shook his head. “I get it now, and I’m still not happy about it. But I lost you, out there, Ollie. I watched you burn and turn into a pile of ash, just like Savage did and I...I realized I really do love you. I know I’ve said it before but it feels different now. I’ve felt what it's like to be without you. Even if it was just for a few minutes and I don’t want to feel that again. Not if I can help it.”

Oliver swallowed and pulled Barry closer. “Bar - “

“I know...what we do could mean that one of us doesn’t come home,” Barry said softly and rested his forehead against Oliver’s chest. “But I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that I get to come back to you.”

“I’ll do that same. And I promise to be better. I promise to try and be better. I swear it's not an empty promise.”

Barry lifted his head and kissed him slowly. He pressed closer, smiling against Oliver’s lips when he felt the man’s grip tighten on his waist and the small groan leave him. He nipped Oliver’s lip gently and laughed when he was suddenly flipped over the couch and on his back, Oliver laying on top of him, nestled between his legs. 

Oliver smiled down at him and kissed along his neck, his hands sliding up under Barry’s shirt. “Why do you have to wear so many layers?”

He laughed again and pulled Oliver down for a kiss with one, his other hand running down his back until he slipped it into the back pocket of Oliver’s jeans, squeezing gently. Oliver groaned again and Barry let one leg fall off the couch and the other he bent and pushed against the back cushions so he and Oliver were pressed as close together as possible with their clothes in the way. 

Barry brought his hands up, working on the buttons to Oliver’s shirt, sliding his hands around to his back, moaning when Oliver rolled his hips forward. “Maybe we ah...should head upstairs?”

Oliver smirked and kissed him again, gripping Barry’s legs and intending to carry him up the stairs when the front door opened. 

“Hey Barry...oh my god!” Both Barry and Oliver shot up, Cisco staring at them. “Oh my god, my eyes!” He yelled turning away.

Barry blushed brightly and Oliver just laughed.Barry swatted him and got out from under him. “Cisco…”

“Are you decent?”

“Yes!” Barry said and blushed even more.

Cisco turned around and opened one eye slowly. “God, now I know what both of you look like all sexed up.” Barry scoffed and Oliver just laughed, and stepped around the couch. “Does Caitlin know? Does anyone else - “

“Joe knows...and Oliver’s team found out. But we’d like to keep it quiet. Please?” Barry asked softly. 

He looked back and forth between them. “Fine...but you owe me. And no...this in front of me. Got it? I’m just going to go wash my eyes out with bleach now.” Cisco walked to the kitchen muttering. 

Barry groaned and put his head on Oliver’s shoulder. Oliver just smiled softly and kissed his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp...Cisco knows!
> 
> I hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review, kudo...both.
> 
> I'll get the next installment out as soon as I can!


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